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Mischievous Melody
Mischievous Melody is the 11th short story which appeared in the anthology , published in May 1950. In the anthology, it is preceded by Some Go in Darkness and followed by Intermezzo. Synopsis A Group Captain tells the story of how a haunting melody once gave so much trouble to one of his talented fighter pilots. Plot (may contain spoilers - click on expand to read) A Group Captain tells his adjutant the story of how sometimes personal problems transcend national ones. One of his skilled fighter pilots, Jerry Hardleigh, had gone on seven days leave smiling. He returned morose as though weighed by a personal problem he refused to talk about. Signs of strain began to show. Soon after, he collided his aircraft into an enemy one during a sweep over France and ended up being capture. What had happened? Before the war, Jerry had been a gliding enthusiast. He had been sent to represent England in an international competition at Wasserkuppe in Germany. There he had met a German glider pilot named von Roth. Von Roth walked with a limp and shared Jerry's interest in playing the piano and played for him one of his own compositions, a prelude with a haunting leit-motif. Jerry returned to England and forgot about von Roth. He soon fell in love and became engaged with his childhood friend, Jennifer Page, the vicar's daughter in his home village. The start of the war did not interrupt the romance and one day and Jerry became a successful fighter pilot. Two years into the war, Jerry took seven days leave to visit his fiancee. Walking through the village, he heard, from a thatched cottage, the sounds of a haunting melody being played on the piano. Jerry thought he had heard the melody before but couldn't place where. When Jerry met Jennifer, he sensed something had changed. Jennifer told him that another man, one Captain Corvell, had moved into the village to recuperate from an illness. Jennifer and Corvell had seen a lot of each other and she had grown very fond of him. Suddenly, Jerry remembered the melody. Jennifer confirmed that Corvell did play the piano and did walk with a limp. Jerry took his leave and went to the thatched cottage to confront Corvell. So he was von Roth, and now a spy! Corvell doesn't deny it. But added that in his position, he could hardly contemplate marrying Jennifer. When he heard that Jerry was going to visit Jennifer, he had decided to pack up and go back to Germany. Jerry was now in a dilemma. If he reported Corvell, what would Jennifer think? But if he didn't, he would have failed in his duty. He brooded over this the whole night and in the morning, reported to M.I.5. He knew his report was believed when he saw military vehicles outside the thatched cottage. Jerry returned to his station and began to fly recklessly. A few days later, out of ammunition over France, he collided his aircraft into a Messerschmitt. He had to crash land and was captured. Jerry was taken to a Luftwaffe airbase to be interrogated. To his surprise, his interrogator was Corvell! Corvell asks if Jerry wants to be reunited with Jennifer. If he does he must follow his intructions. Corvell tells Jerry to walk with him to the wash house. There Jerry must knock Corvell, bolt the door and steal the car nearby. He must then drive to an estaminet twenty miles away where all other arrangements have been made. Jerry, not quite believing this, does as he is told and is finally brought back to England! Back at the village, Jennifer has also realised that she truly loved Jerry and the two got married immediately. Wasn't it a pity the German spy Corvell got away? The adjutant asks the Group Captain at the end of the story. Oh no, he replies. Corvell is one of England's top agents! Characters *Unnamed Group Captain, commandant of the Staff College, the narrator *His adjutant *Jerry Hardleigh *Captain Corvell *Jennifer Page Aircraft *Supermarine Spitfire Ships Places Visited Research Notes *The mention of fighter sweeps over France sets the story in 1941 or after. Th text also mentions that the war had been going on for 2 years. Publication History *Collected in Short Sorties, Latimer House, 1950 *Collected in Short Sorties and Sky Fever, Norman Wright, 2006 References External Links Category:Short stories Category:Other short stories Category:Adult short stories